Clearing sewer lines and the like



0a; 20, 1910 R. J. GUTRICH 3,535,161

CLEARING SEWER LINES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 27, 1969 United StatesPatent 3,535,161 CLEARING SEWER LINES AND THE LIKE Robert J. Gutrich,10950 S. Homan Ave., Chicago, 111., 60655 Filed Jan. 27, 1969, Ser. No.793,989 Int. Cl. B08b 9/06 US. Cl. 134-24 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Process and apparatus for clearing sewer lines and the likeby application of water at normal household pressures through flexibletubing to jet creating head means connected to the end of the tubing andinserted in and passed through the line by means of the tubing; therebeing a first axial jet head for opening up a passage through the lineand a second tangential or swirl jet head for thoroughly clearing theline.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a sewer line and theapparatus of the invention in the process of clearing the same;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view, partly in elevation and partly inlongitudinal section, of one embodiment of said apparatus, the sectionbeing taken substantially on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the axial jet head taken substantially online 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of one embodiment of the swirl jet headof said apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the swirl jet head taken substantially online 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION In order to acquaint those skilled in the art with themanner of making and using my apparatus and practicing my process, Ihave illustrated and will now describe the best mode presentlycontemplated by me of carrying out my invention.

While I have illustrated and will hereinafter describe my invention inconnection primarily with the cleaning of sewer lines, it is to bepointed out, and will become manifest, that the invention is applicableto any plumbing line or fixture that has an open or unguarded inlet end;for example, floor drains, house to street sewers, toilets, sinks, etc.

In any such drain system or line, I have found it customary thatblockages will build up from the side walls of the pipe or line andgradually increase in bulk in both the axial and radially inwarddirections, so that it is essentially the central core of the pipe orline that is the last portion thereof to close up. The longer livedparts of the blockage become solidified with age, but the central coreis either slightly open or at least still relatively soft at the timethe homeowner becomes sufiiciently alarmed to take action on theproblem.

According to the present invention, this blockage is quickly, easily andeconomically cleared and the pipe or line totally cleaned out byattaching a jet creating head to the end of a flexible tube 11, usingthe tube to insert and push the head through the inlet 12 of a sewer orPatented Oct. 20, 1970 ice like drain line 13, coupling the tubedirectly (or if necessary by a length of ordinary garden hose) to anyconveniently available water tap or faucet 14, and using water at normalhousehold pressure to clear the line.

In order to work primarily on the relatively soft core of theobstruction at the beginning of the cleaning process, I provide a firsthead for converting the household water into a hardhitting, highvelocity axially directed jet. One embodiment of this head is shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 and indicated generally at 10a. The head comprises astreamlined body 20a, which I prefer to make of egg-shape so as tofacilitate entry of the head into and removal of the same from the line;and also to facilitate passage of the same through elbows, bends andother plumbing fittings and fixtures, and through the central core ofobstructions encountered by the head. Axially thereof, the body isprovided with a passage 21a designed in accord with the conventionalstandards of the hydraulic nozzle art to create a compact, hard-hittingjet of water. In the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, I haveencased a standard high velocity jet nozzle 22a within an egg-shapedbody of plastic to provide a compact and economical axial jet head.

The head 10a is of a size substantially smaller than the inner diameterof the pipe or line 13 to facilitate its insertion therein and passagetherethrough, and also to accommodate passage of the head through thecleared central core of an obstruction without necessity for completeclearing of the obstruction at this stage of the process. For example, Ihave found that a head having an outer diameter of 1% inches Works verywell in the clearing of 4 to 8 inch inner diameter sewer and drainlines. It is manifest, of course, that the size of the head may bevaried to meet the requirements of particular drain lines and varyinglocal conditions.

To facilitate passage of the head through the line, and especiallythrough the elbows and bends therein, I prefer to provide the head 10with an integral length of conduit 30 having a degree of resiliency orflexibility correlated to the character of the sewer or drain line to becleared. This conduit may suitably comprise a 10 inch length ofstandardly available tubing the same as or compatible with the tube 11.

At their adjacent ends, the conduit 30 and tube 11 are provided withmating coupling parts 31 and 32 for detachable connection of the head 10to the tube 11. The tube and the conduit are selected of highly flexibleor resilient materials for drains having short traps or plural bendstherein, and/or plumbing fixtures of a fragile character, such forexample as water closets and their drain lines; of relatively stilt orhard materials for rougher or plainer lines, such as house to streetsewers; and of intermediate degrees of resiliency for other types ofwork. The materials are also preferably selected to be resistant to heatand chemical deterioration so as to accommodate use of hot water anddrain clearing chemicals in practice of the process of this invention.The coupler parts 31 and 32 are designed so as to present no external orinternal obstruction. Thus, the tube and conduit serve to so support thehead 10 as to facilitate its movement through unobstructed portions ofthe drain and to bring it into proper disposition relative to the softcentral core of obstructions.

At its inlet end, the tube 11 is provided with a standard plastic gardenhose fitting 33 to facilitate its connection to the faucet 14, a lengthof garden hose and/or another length of tube 11.

In use, the head a is connected by conduit 30 to the tube 11. The headis then inserted in the sewer or other plumbing inlet 12 and thence intothe drain line 13. It will be observed that no tools are required, andthat no disassembly of the line or any fixture affiliated therewith isrequired in use of my apparatus and practice of my process. The tube 11is used to push the head, conduit and leading portions of tubing downthe line until the head encounters an obstruction, such as the oneindicated generally at 15. A charge of obstruction clearing chemicals(any of the chemicals commonly available for this purpose) may then beinserted in the faucet end of the tube, the tube connected to the faucet14 (directly or by means of a garden hose) and the hot water turned on.Actually, the hot water tap should be opened beforehand and the waterrun until very hot before the tube is connected to the faucet so as toassure delivery of very hot water to the jet head.

In actual practice, the use of chemicals is not always required, andthus this step in the process may be omitted. In most cases, it isadvisable first to attempt to clear the line simply with hot water; andif this does not work fast enough to suit the convenience of theoperator, the application of hot water may be temporarily discontinued,the chemicals inserted in the inlet end of the tube 11 (not the gardenhose), the hot water applied for a second or two to carry the chemicalsto the obstruction, the water stopped to allow chemical soaking of theobstruction for several minutes, and the water then applied to flushopen the obstruction.

Whether using chemicals or not, it is generally advisable (though notessential) to use the hot water tap as the water supply, since hot waterwill assist in breaking up or dissolving the grease that practicallyalways is present in and contributing to the obstruction.

In any event, liquid is supplied at normal household water pressure tothe nozzle 22a where it is converted to a compact hardhitting jet streamthat is directed axially at the softest, most recently accumulated andmost vulnerable portion of the obstruction, so as to blast or erode ahole therethrough in a very short period of time. The tube may bereciprocated in a short stroke so as to vary the distance of the nozzlefrom the obstruction, and thus the target area of the emitted jet, untila hole is opened up of sutficient diameter to permit passage of the head10a.

When the head can be passed through the first obstruction, the water maybe turned off and additional portions of the tube pushed into the drainto move the head down the drain until it encounters anotheraccumulation, whereupon the above-recited steps are duplicated. Thissequence is repeated until the entire line is opened up, at least to theextent of passage through the line of the head 10a, conduit 30 and tube11. The tube may be in standard 25 and/or 50 foot or longer lengths;lengths being added to the original tube as required to traverse theentire line.

When the line has been opened by the above-described use of the axialjet head 10a, the tube 11 is withdrawn from the line and the head 10a isreplaced by a second head 10b, one embodiment of which is illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5. This head comprises a streamlined body b which ispreferably of the same size and external configuration as the head 10a.However, if desired, it could be of different shape and/or of somewhatlarger diameter. The characteristic feature of this head is theprovision therein of one or more passage means 21b disposed tangentiallyor secantly thereof, and each so designed within the skill of thehydraulic nozzle art as to create a generally radially directed jetstream of water which, when the head is inserted in the drain line, willcause the water to swirl circumferentially within the line with highimpact force. This head 10b may be comprised of a plastic or otherstreamlined body having an integral inlet conduit 30b, a central waterreceiving supply bore 22b, and a pair of passages 21b communicating withthe bore 22b. In the illustrated embodiment, the passages 21b are two innumber, extend tangentially or secantly relative to the bore 22b asshown in FIG. 5, and are inclined forwardly relative to the axis of thebore as shown in FIG. 4 so as to create a forwardly moving,circumferentially swirling, hard-hitting wall of water on the innersurface of the drain line. To enhance turbulence, the passages may bedisposed at slightly different inclinations to the body as shown in FIG.4.

When the head 10b has been substituted for the head 10a, the tube isreinserted in the drain line 13 and the hot water is turned on at thetap or faucet 14. Then, the tube is fed relatively slowly into the line,whereupon the jet nozzles or passages 21b of the head 1% create streamsof water hitting the inner surfaces of the line and cause these streamsto form into a wall of hot water having force components acting radiallyoutwardly, axially forwardly and circumferentially about the innersurface of the line, whereupon the water thoroughly scours the line toclear it of accumulated debris.

When this forwardly moving wall of water encounters one of theobstructions previously opened by the axial jet head, many forces comeinto play over the whole upstream side of the obstruction, e.g., heat todissolve the grease, radial and swirling forces to break up the materialcomprising the blockage, and forwardly moving forces working on andwashing away dissolved or loosened debris. The result is rapiddissolution of the entire obstruction and flushing of the same down thedrain that is in the process of being cleared.

Again, should unusual difficulty be encountered in re moval of anobstruction, chemicals may be used to assist in breaking up and/ordissolving the pipe obstructing mass. For example, the head may be runin, chemicals inserted in the tube, the hot water run for a second ortwo to carry the chemicals to the obstructions, the chemicals left tosoak for awhile, and the hot water run for a few minutes to flush awaythe dissolved debris. By repeating this sequence of steps at every tenfeet or so of the line, thorough scouring of the inner surface of theline and complete clearing of it may easily be accomplished.

Once a line is opened, the divergent jet head 10b may be used atperiodic intervals, in the manner above described, for preventativemaintenance purposes to keep the drain fully open and clear.

Where the apparatus is to be used in connection with water closets andother porcelain fixtures, the heads 10a and 10b may be coated withrubber or the like to prevent damage to and/ or marring of theporcelain.

Thus, it is apparent that the objects and advantages of this inventionare attained in a convenient economical and practical manner.

While I have shown and described what I regard to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is to be appreciated that variouschanges, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein withoutdepartment from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A process of clearing sewer lines comprising the steps of (a)connecting a head forming an axially directed jet stream to the end of alength of tubing, b) inserting said head in the line, (c) pushing saidhead into the line by pushing the tubing into said line until said headencounters an obstruction, (d) forcing water into said tubing at normalhousehold pressure until the obstruction is cleared, (e) repeating steps(0) and (d), then (f) connecting to the tubing a head forming agenerally tangentially and forwardly directed jet, and (g) inserting andpushing the latter head through the line while forcing watertherethrough until the entire line is clear.

2. A process as set forth in claim 1, including the 5 step of insertingobstruction clearing chemicals in the 2,735,794 2/1956 tubing betweenperformance of said steps (c) and (d). 3,075,535 1/1963 3,215,56011/1965 References Cited 3 321,1 4 5 19 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Sladden134-167 Cunningham.

Bottorf.

Baerer.

Court 13444 10 34-167 Pletcher 134-24 Lasting 134167 Kredit 13422 XRGoss 134-167 5 MORRIS o. WOLK, Primary Examiner J. T. ZATARGA, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

